Financial Aid for GIST Patients

Patient Assistance Programs for GIST-approved Medications

Gleevec (Novartis) – Novartis Patient Assistance

Novartis offers help to patients who are experiencing financial hardship or who have limited or no third-party insurance coverage for their medicines. Patient Assistance Nowis a website designed for patients to find financial assistance programs for their Novartis Medications. Patient Assistance Foundation Enrollment offers help to patients who are experiencing financial hardship or who have limited or no third-party insurance coverage for their medicines.

Gleevec Co-Pay Card

To understand your out-of-pocket costs for Gleevec and to see if you are eligible to pay $10 for a 30-day supply with the Gleevec $10 Co-Pay Card, call 1-866-GLEEVEC (1-866-453-3832) or visit http://www.gleevec.com/index.jsp/

International Glivec Assistance

The Glivec® International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP) – Novartis designed GIPAP to provide Glivec® (imatinib) free of cost to eligible patients in developing countries who meet specific medical and socio-economic guidelines. Through The Max Foundation, GIPAP also provides information and referral assistance to patients, their family members and caregivers.

Sutent (Pfizer)

Pfizer RxPathways connects eligible patients to a range of assistance programs that offer insurance support, co-pay help, and medicines for free or at a savings.
Call 1-844-989-PATH (7284) or visit https://www.pfizerrxpathways.com/

Sutent Financial Assistance/Co-Pay Card – Eligible, commercially insured patients may pay as little as $0 per month for Sutent. To be eligible, you must be commercially insured (receive healthcare through your employer or pay for it on your own) and not participate in any federal or state healthcare programs such as Medicaid or Medicare. For information visit https://www.pfizeroncologytogether.com/patient/

Pfizer Compassionate Use and Expanded Acces – In cases where a clinical trial is not an option and the patient has exhausted all available treatment options, regulators may grant permission for Pfizer to provide a treating physician with an unapproved drug. Such individual use of an unlicensed investigational drug is often called “compassionate use” or “expanded access”, but may go by other names. Pfizer refers to these uses collectively as “compassionate access”.

International Sutent Assistance – Treatment Access Solution

The Max Foundation is partnering with Pfizer on a pilot program for international product access for Sutent® (sunitinib malate) to help ensure that international prescription assistance requests are addressed consistently and objectively. The collaboration is designed to help patients outside of the U.S. living in lower-income economies, specifically uninsured and underinsured persons living where product is either not available commercially or significant access hurdles exist and where local market initiatives cannot address the request. Requests for Sutent® (sunitinib malate) must meet specified criteria. View our global map and click on individual countries to learn where this collaboration is operating today. Contact The Max Foundation for more information about access to Sutent (sunitinib malate) in these countries. 1-888-462-9368.

Stivarga (Bayer)

REACH patients prescribed Stivarga can turn to REACH® (Resources for Expert Assistance and Care Helpline) – a free support program providing you with information about your therapy as well as your financial assistance options. https://www.stivarga-us.com/getting-and-paying/

Privately Insured

Government Insured (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, Military)

Financial assistance may be available through independent charitable organizations or alternate funding options.
Call 1.866.639.2827 to speak with a reimbursement counselor (9am-5pm EST/EDT).

Uninsured/Underinsured

Financial assistance may be available through the Patient Assistance Program (PAP) or alternate funding options.
Call 1.866.639.2827 to speak with a reimbursement counselor (9am-5pm EST/EDT).

Bayer Oncology $0 Co-Pay Program

The zero dollar Stivarga co-pay program allows patients to fill their prescription with no out-of-pocket costs for eligible, commercially insured patients. To complete the 3-step enrollment process visit https://zerocopaysupport.com/

Ayvakit (Blueprint Medicines)

YourBlueprint™- Personalized services to help you get AYVAKIT™ (avapritinib), pay for your medicine, and get support every step of the way. YourBlueprint™ is a patient support program designed to assist you throughout your treatment with AYVAKIT by providing: 1-on-1support, and financial assistance options, and helpful resources. Connect with a case manager today. Get more information visit YourBlueprint™ or call 1-888-BLUPRNT (1-888-258-7768).

Sun Pharma offers financial assistance for eligible patients through the imatinib savings card and the Sun Pharma Patient Assistance Program(PAP). To learn more about the programs, call a Patient Care Specialist at 1-844-502-5950. To submit an application, visit http://www.imatinibrx.com/

The Teva Cares Foundation is a group of patient assistance programs that provide certain Teva medications at no or reduced cost to patients in the United States who meet certain insurance and income criteria. Call 1-877-237-4881, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time, or visit http://www.tevacares.org/. For the Imatinib savings card, visit http://tevaimatinibsavings.com/

Other: Nexavar (Bayer)

Patients prescribed Nexavar can turn to REACH (Resources for Expert Assistance and Care Helpline), a free support program providing you with information about your therapy, as well as your financial assistance options.

Privately Insured

Government Insured (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, Military)

Financial assistance may be available through independent charitable organizations or alternate funding options.
Call 1-866-639-2827 to speak with a reimbursement counselor (9am-5pm EST/EDT).

Uninsured/Underinsured

Financial assistance may be available through the Patient Assistance Program (PAP) or alternate funding options.
Call 1-866-639-2827 to speak with a reimbursement counselor (9am-5pm EST/EDT).

Bayer Oncology $0 Co-Pay Program

The zero dollar Nexavar co-pay program allows patients to fill their prescription with no out-of-pocket costs for eligible, commercially insured patients. To complete the 3-step enrollment process visit https://zerocopaysupport.com/

Other: Ponatinib (Ariad)

ICLUSIG 1point provides support throughout your treatment by offering a wide range of services to get you the information you need and assist with day-to-day concerns associated with your treatment.

Regardless of your insurance status, ICLUSIG 1Point can help identify an array of financial assistance programs for which you may be eligible.

Eligible, Commercially-Insured

The ICLUSIG Co-Pay Assistance Program limits your co-pay or coinsurance to $10 per month. To determine your eligibility and enroll in the ICLUSIG Co-Pay Assistance Program call 1-844-T1POINT (1-844-817-6468).

Government Insured

ICLUSIG 1Point helps identify third-party, nonprofit foundations that can grant financial assistance to you that can help with your out-of-pocket, treatment-related expenses (e.g., co-pays, coinsurance, and deductibles). To learn more, call 1-844-T1POINT (1-844-817-6468).

Uninsured or Underinsured

ICLUSIG 1Point can help explore patient eligibility for the Patient Assistance Program, which may provide drug at no cost for up to 1 year, subject to eligibility. To learn more call 1-844-T1POINT (1-844-817-6468).

Financial Assistance for Cancer Care through Charitable Foundations

Benefits Checkup finds programs for people ages 55 and over that may pay for some of their costs of prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other services.

NeedyMeds provides information on the programs many drug companies have that give away free prescription medications to people who have no insurance and qualify for their programs. Allows you to access the information on the drug by searching by drug or by manufacturer.

Travel Assistance for Medical Care

Air Care Alliance is a nationwide league of humanitarian flying organizations whose volunteer pilots are dedicated to community service. This site lists volunteers who perform public benefit flying for health care, patient transport, disaster relief, environmental support, and other missions of public service.
For flights request or information, visit www.aircarealliance.org.

Air Charity Network provides access for people in need seeking free air transportation to specialized health care facilities or distant destinations due to family, community, or national crisis. To request assistance, call 1-877-621-7177 or visit http://www.aircharitynetwork.org/

Angel Flight is a non-profit organization of pilots and other volunteers dedicated to serving the community by arranging free private air transportation for medical patients and their families who cannot afford to utilize normal, commercial transportation. For flights request, visit http://www.angelflight.com/

Angel Airlines for Cancer Patients (AACP) facilitates no-cost commercial airline tickets for needy cancer patients and their families .Patients may access help supported by AACP by calling 888-675-1405. Information specialists will talk with the patient and determine the exact travel need and then refer them to the best type of assistance.

Corporate Angel Network aims to ease the emotional stress, physical discomfort and financial burden of travel for adult and pediatric cancer patients by arranging free flights to recognized treatment centers, using the empty seats on corporate aircraft flying on routine business. To send an inquiry form visit http://www.corpangelnetwork.org/

Mercy Medical Angels provides free transportation nationwide to and from medical care on the ground with gas cards, bus and train tickets, and in the air through commercial airlines and volunteer pilots. To request assistance visit http://www.mercymedical.org/

Patient Travel Referral, a program of Mercy Medical Angels– After an initial screening of patient need and determination of a suitable means of travel, callers are referred to the most appropriate charitable medical transportation program that can best meet their needs. This program is available 24/7. A growing list of national medical and disease organizations utilize this program to assist their constituency with charitable medical transportation information and referral. To complete a referral request, visit https://request.patienttravel.org/travel-request/

Operation Liftoff provides air transportation for children with a life threatening illness for a treatment trip. To complete a treatment trip request form, visit http://www.operationliftoff.com/

Cancer Society Road to Recovery Program offers a directory of available options, sorted by city. The ACS Road to Recovery program partners with municipalities, faith-based organizations, and a network of volunteer drivers to provide the much-needed rides back and forth to appointments. More information on the program is available at https://www.cancer.org/treatment/support-programs-and-services.html or by calling 1-800-227-2345.

Uber Health is an extension of the Uber ride-sharing platform for patients and caregivers. Uber Health rides are managed through the health care provider. The doctor’s office has an account with Uber Health, and they can schedule rides up to 30 days in advance of an appointment, allowing for simple access to a ride when it is needed. Multiple visits can be scheduled at once, making it easier to take care of a series of treatments or follow-up visits, and eliminating the stress of finding a ride for every appointment individually. From the patient perspective, using Uber Health does not require a smart phone, unlike the standard Uber app-based service. Scheduling and arrangements can be made through text messages and traditional phone calls. Rides from Uber Health can be submitted to the health insurance provider and there are no increased costs over standard Uber rides associated with using this more personalized service.

Lyft Concierge offers a similar platform to Uber Health, also providing transport coordinated through the doctor’s office. As with Uber, the Lyft rides can be paid for by a patient’s health insurance provider, including Medicare and Medicaid in some cases.

Chemo Cars, available in Charlotte, NC and Amarillo, TX with plans to expand, has provided over 12,000 free rides since its inception in 2017. Founded by Zach Bolster after witnesses his mother’s struggle with pancreatic cancer, Chemo Cars is a non-profit organization that partners directly with Uber and Lyft to provide free transport to and from medical visits. The cost of the rides is provided by donations to Chemo Cars, requested at $12 per donor to pay for one ride. https://chemocars.org/about/faq/

Lodging Assistance for Medical Care

The Healthcare Hospitality Network, Inc.(HHN) is a nationwide professional association of nearly 200 unique, nonprofit organizations that provide lodging and support services to patients, families and their loved ones who are receiving medical treatment far from their home communities.

Joe’s House is a housing resource for cancer patients and their families who must travel away from home for medical treatment. The site lists hundreds of cancer treatment centers and nearby lodging facilities.

The Life Raft Group is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization (tax id: 82-0547746) providing support through information, education, and innovative research to patients with a rare cancer called GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor). View our 990 Form here

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International Patients

GIST knows no boundaries.
The Life Raft Group focuses on several key pillars. One of those pillars is “to increase access to effective treatments worldwide.” We aid patients from the United Kingdom to India and Kenya, helping wherever GIST patients are in need. Our patient registry staff interacts with global patients daily. The LRG Patient Registry has members from 63 countries, with country liaisons from 61 countries.
We present at international symposiums on GIST, support global advocacy issues, and work to establish alliances and collaborations. We want to ensure that GIST patients across the world have access to the best possible treatment.